Tuesday, April 24, 2007

The Good:-I got a job with the Aurora Library. This means that, eventually, I'll be able to get these annoying, pesky creditors off of my back and I'll be getting out of the house!-There will be "flexible income" again.-We will be moving back to the city!-I got hired despite a bad reference from a former boss (see below).-Two of my dear friends gave me glowing references (thanks Jeanne & Jana).

The Bad:-I was offered the Library Clerk position instead of the Library Assistant.-The pay that I ended up being offered was about $4/hour less than was discussed at my interview.-After paying day care, my take home will be a mere few hundred dollars.-I found out that a former boss gave me a bad reference and had me panicked thinking I wouldn't get the job.-I have to put my baby in day care and do not know of an upstanding one--time to do research. (Caitlin will return to the preschool she attended before)-We will be 5 hours away from my parents, again.

The Best:-The girls & I will be living with Ben again.-We will be a family again, all under one roof.-Ben & I have worked on our "differences" and what happened that fateful day in August & have mutually decided to save our marriage.-I will be close to many of my wonderful friends on the Front Range.-Did I mention that I will be getting out of the house?! Don't get me wrong, I love my girls but I think I'll be a much better mom if I'm not home with them 24/7, 365. Both will also benefit from the socialization that preschool/day care provides.

Well folks, that's the skinny. Now, even though I got the official offer...I still have to pass a background investigation, credit screen, drug test (shucks, no more poppy seed muffins) and have a physical. Other than the credit screen (for reasons mentioned in previous posts), I have no worries. What can I say except--WOO HOO! This good news came at the perfect time, the day before my 29th birthday!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Just a short post to say that I have officially joined the ranks as a member of the gainfully employed! The final offer has not come in & I still have to pass a backgroung & credit check. But...the director said she wants me on her staff! I should have an official offer--postion & salary by the end of the week. Time to start packing...wagons east!

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Please, let the stars, or is it the planets, line up; let Yin & Yang be in balance; let there be good karma...Momma needs a job! I am in the running (I hope) for two library jobs in Aurora. I interviewed for one last Tuesday and I believe I impressed them with my thorough responses to their questions. Heck, I think I even managed to sound articulate and educated. My "mommy brain" took a temporary vacation. I have another interview with the same library district for another position next Tuesday. This is the one that I really want, it's a Library Assistant position, which is a little more glamorous and pays a lot better than the Library Clerk job that I interviewed for last week. Truth be told though, I'm so desperate right now, that I'll take which ever one is offered to me. It sounds like they are very short-staffed too, so hopefully, that will work in my favor. When I asked when the director hoped to have the position filled, she replied, (direct quote) "the day before yesterday"! Now, I'm not bilingual in Spanish like they'd prefer but I'm more than willing to learn. I'm hoping that my customer service skills just won them over. What can I say, I like working with people (most days). This library district is right down the road from where we used to live and pretty central to any other part of Aurora that we chose to live in, so it's perfect. The schedule might be a bit funky (something like 6 days on, 2 days off and then 4 days on, 2 days off) but, we can work around that. I mean, I used to work EVERY, single weekend when I worked for DOC. All in all, I'm really psyched and have a good vibe that I'll get an offer for one of the positions by the end of next week. As much as I love being back in "small town Colorado", I have come to realize that it will take a miracle for me to find a good-paying job doing something that I'm good at here. Besides, I actually like living in the Denver Metro area. When we were there last week, Ben, the girls & I spent an evening walking in LoDo visiting the Denver Public Library (oh my gosh, amazing), a huge Barnes & Noble were I snagged the latest in the Shopaholic series, and then had dinner at BD's Mongolian BBQ. While it was windy and sleeting at one point, we all had a wonderful time. There's something awesome about being amoung tall buildings and culture at every turn. Gives me the chills! I am already making plans to visit the many museums with Ben & the girls and have many eating establishments to try out. Mile High City, here we come, again (I hope & pray)!

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Wishing all of you a very happy and joyful Easter. Here, on the western slope of Colorado, we have set plans in motion for starting some great Easter traditions. Caitlin, my mom & I have made Easter sugar cookies and a bunny cake. Earlier today, we went to a Lions Club sponsored egg hunt & dyed eggs. The Easter bunny will hide them first thing in the morning along with baskets for both girls. We will feast on cinnamon rolls after the hunt is over and a dinner of ham, potatoes and muffins will follow. These are the things that make for great childhood memories. I remember doing these very things with my parents & siblings. I can only hope that Caitlin & Cara will be able to look back and smile too, some day.

I hope that this Easter is full of joy & wonderful memories for you & yours,

Okay, before you all start freaking out...let me just say that this is NOT how my hair is going to look 90% of the time. It's just that I can't wash it right now. Here's what took place. I went to Rumours, my favorite salon here in town 'cause the stylists know there stuff, and talked with one of the girls. We must've spent 20 minutes talking about my options. Did I just want to give my hair some texture and a little bit more funkiness? How about learning techniques involving lots of styling products and time (which I don't have)? What about a body wave for some body and loose curls that I could blow straight? Doing this would allow me more styling options without too much fussiness. A body wave, I was told, would make it easier to achieve the "straight style" that I wanted 'cause I'd already have the body. On the days that I didn't feel like doing anything though, I wouldn't be stuck with a horrible cut. How could I lose? So, I sat down for my first perm in about oh, 13 years or so. Kinda scary but, I trusted Katy, my stylist. She promised that I wouldn't look like a french poodle!

So, here's the final result--not blown straight. Right now, it is a tad bit "wild" but it will calm down some once I can wash it and style it (Sunday night). Truth be told, I finally look like my girls, more like Cara than Caitlin, of course. Maybe now, I won't get the "Are they both really yours?" or "Are you the nanny?" comments. I know, I know, fake curls are supposedly are their way out but these are not curls, it's waves, honestly! This really isn't a good picture but I don't have any other way of taking a picture of myself at the moment. I promise to post more, after I can wash it! Have faith, it will look great!This is what my hair would look like, blown straight (minus the tiara 'cause I don't have that kind of bling bling). It's time to get bold and start caring about how I look again. I might even try a headband like Lauren suggested. Now, to get nominated for TLC's What Not to Wear...

Monday, April 02, 2007

My hair is beginning to drive me nuts. I mean, seriously, who wants to look like the Flying Nun on a daily basis. Granted, I am not talented when it comes to styling products. The most that I can manage is a blow drier and maybe some gel-like stuff. Anyway, after spending 15 minutes attempting to "style" my hair, this is what I got...Why do I even bother, really? So, I'm in the market for a new look. Here are some styles that I'm thinking about, let me know which one you think would look best. I am willing to get some body in my hair via curls, etc. I'm getting kind of sick of my pin straight, limp hair.

1. Not quite that short, probably done over my ears.

2. Not too much of a stretch from what I have but I imagine I'll need some body in order for it too look like this.

3. This is pretty close to my "normal" style, but again, this chick has a lot more body to her hair. I would have mine come down over my ears.

4. Totally curly. Probably not as "poofy" on the top and longer on the sides.

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About Me

I'm currently picking up the pieces of my so-called life and building a better future for myself and my two daughters. I am a single mom who is trying to juggle the demands of working outside of the home with the circus acts of parenthood. On a good day, I am a: mom, daughter, sister, friend, coach, counselor, event planner, secretary, taxi driver, nurse, emergency manager, short order cook, teacher, tutor, volunteer, playmate, human jungle gym...you get the idea.